Crosswalk Safety: Don’t trust your life to a painted stripe

Published Jan. 9, 2015
By Steve Serrette
72nd Air Base Wing Safety Office

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Many accidents, requiring both first aid and lost time, occur when walking.

When an accident almost happens and scares you "half-to-death" it is known in Safety circles as a "near miss." Very recently on Tinker, there have been numerous "near misses" between vehicles and pedestrians, and they have been mainly occurring at crosswalks.

The most important safety tip to reduce pedestrian crosswalk "near misses," injuries and fatalities is for both vehicle operators and pedestrians to pay close attention to their surroundings and remain alert. As a crosswalk pedestrian, you can significantly reduce your chances of being in a collision with a motor vehicle by obeying traffic rules and being aware of dangers posed by cars in your vicinity. Before entering the crosswalk, make eye contact with drivers if possible and make sure that they can see you.

As a driver, mind your road-manners and especially at crosswalks. Remember that no member of the Tinker workforce comes to work to be killed or maimed in a crosswalk by a hurried or inattentive vehicle driver.

Here are a few reminders for all of us who use vehicles and our feet to travel from one place to another:

Pedestrians:

· ALWAYS USE MARKED CROSSWALKS (when available).
· Yield to drivers when crossing a road where there is no intersection or crosswalk.
· Yield to drivers where the pedestrian does not have a green or "walk" signal and where vehicles have a green signal.
· At the crosswalk, do NOT suddenly move into the path of a closely approaching vehicle that does not have sufficient time to yield for a pedestrian.
· Remember that it is the pedestrian's responsibility to give the driver time to safely react.
· When walking to the crosswalk, use sidewalks when available, and not the roadway.
· When using the crosswalk, stay very focused and pay attention to your surroundings. Do NOT text and walk, stay off the cell phone when walking, pay attention to the walking task at hand!
· Remember that a pedestrian CAN be cited for failure to yield or stepping into the path of a moving vehicle.
· Also an important reminder of which most pedestrians are unaware: If you are crossing on one half of the crosswalk, a vehicle is allowed to proceed along the other half of the crosswalk.
Motorists:
· When a pedestrian is in ANY crosswalk, STOP and let the pedestrian cross safely to the other side of the road.
· When you see designated crosswalks with lights flashing either on the pavement or on the pole, STOP and let the pedestrian cross safely to the other half of the road.
· The driver of a motor vehicle CAN be cited for "failure to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk."
· Do NOT overtake and pass any vehicle that stops at a crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway safely.
· Another driver of a motor vehicle CAN be cited for "passing another vehicle yielding to a pedestrian."
· WORD TO THE UNWISE: If you hit someone who is crossing in a crosswalk, it is guaranteed from that time forward your life will NOT be a pleasant experience. Think of jail-time, lawsuits, loss of income, attorney fees, dealing with the legal system, or the constant mental reminder of knowing you killed or badly injured someone. Think really hard, is that what you want?

Pedestrians usually have the right-of way when crossing roads in designated crosswalks, but being right doesn't mean much if you are injured or killed by a driver who doesn't see you. It is also difficult for motor vehicle operators to see pedestrians from a car in the dark, with lights glaring on the windshield, or in rainy or foggy weather conditions. For that matter, in the bright sunlight the problem doesn't become too much better. Use of designated crosswalks by pedestrians is also mandatory according to Oklahoma State Law and will be enforced. Jaywalking/"jaycrossing" (taking a "shortcut") instead of using a designated crosswalk is highly unadvisable. We also recommend that personnel take additional precautions when confronted with darkness or poor
weather conditions.

As a motorist, strict compliance with posted speed limits in pedestrian crossing areas is mandatory and vehicles must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. As a pedestrian, you can significantly reduce your chances of death or injury by obeying traffic rules and being aware of dangers posed by cars in your vicinity. A recent report from the federal agency over transportation safety concluded that the pedestrian was solely at fault in 43 percent of car-pedestrian collisions (not using a designated crosswalk) and that both parties were at fault in 13 percent of collisions.

So remember the following basics:

Both drivers and pedestrians have certain personal safety responsibilities that depend on both circumstances and common sense on the part of both parties. The causes of most pedestrian related crosswalk accidents are inattention on the part of both parties, and driver carelessness. As a pedestrian, pay close attention to cars in your vicinity and make eye contact with drivers if possible before stepping out into the designated crosswalk. As a final note, it is very highly recommended that pedestrians and vehicle operators read, study, and comprehend Title 47 of Oklahoma State Statute 11-501.2, which can be found at http://www.oklegislature.gov/osstatuestitle.html.

WE CARE, so please take care! Don't become a statistic, either by being struck, OR being the unfortunate driver who strikes a crosswalk pedestrian.
Practice Personal Risk Management!